The ever increasing complexity of modem computer systems and information networks has caused user requirements for external data storage to increase enormously. To accommodate a user's desire to store large amounts of data, a number of different mechanisms have been developed to allow multiple hard disk drives to be stored within a single housing unit or enclosure. For example, a rack-mountable enclosure known in the art as a chassis or a “cage” is capable of holding multiple disk drives at a given time. Drives installed within the chassis communicate with each other via a chassis midplane.
Although the use of computer chassis systems has significantly increased the ability of a user to store large quantities of data within a given system, such systems are disadvantageous in many respects. First, the controller, power supply and associated cables for a given system are often located in the rear of the chassis. Conventional chassis systems require total disassembly prior to insertion or removal of a desired component (e.g. hard drive or midplane). For example, midplanes are generally characterized as field replaceable units (FRU), indicating that such units are to be serviced and/or removed by trained personnel. Although servicing personnel are trained to perform the aforementioned task, a typical time period for installation of a midplane in a currently available computer chassis is approximately two hours. As a result, the task of servicing and/or removing a midplane is very cumbersome and cost-inefficient.
Therefore, it would be desirable to a provide a chassis system which allowed installation to be fast, easy and dependable.